When your senior’s life is suddenly different than it was, you need to know what she needs so that you can help her to find the right answers. That takes some time and effort and it can be scary, especially if her situation is changing very quickly. 

Set up a Time to Talk Things Over with Her Doctor

Your senior’s doctor is a fantastic resource to help you determine what your senior needs. It’s really important to include your senior in these talks, too, so that you get the most comprehensive picture you can get. Talk about your elderly family member’s goals, both for now and in the future, and ask how you can support her health as you work toward helping her to meet those goals. 

Learn about the Types of Assistance Available 

There’s more support and assistance available for older adults than you or she might think. A variety of different therapies could be helpful, for example. Physical therapy can help your senior to adjust to mobility challenges she’s facing while occupational therapy can help her to manage activities of daily living in a pain-free way. Working with elder care providers may give her the daily assistance she needs. All of these types of assistance may be part of your senior’s plans going forward. 

Figure Out if Your Senior’s Home Supports Her Needs 

Does your senior’s current living situation work with her to meet the goals she’s set for herself? If it doesn’t, there may be some easy changes that can help to fix that. Bigger changes, like home modifications, may be necessary if her home has stairs that are difficult for her to navigate. Installing a stair lift can make both floors accessible. Or her home may only need smaller changes, like putting grab bars in the tub so that she feels safer while showering. 

Assess How Well the Plan Works and Adjust 

Over time you’ll start to get better at seeing what’s working well and what still needs adjustments to work better for your senior. It’s also important to remember that her needs are going to change over time, too. As her needs change, you’ll need to address those additional issues and find solutions that work for her and for you. 

You can’t solve every need immediately, but you can put together a plan that helps you to make progress. Progress is always better than perfection. 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Elder Care in Mauldin, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.  Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas. 

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Edward Harrison

Founder at Heart of the Carolinas

Edward Harrison founded the Heart of the Carolinas Homecare in 2007 when he saw there was a need for caregivers that provide non-medical home care services, at a price that most people could afford. It was standard in the industry to require hourly minimums and it was common to be assigned a caregiver, not matched with one based on your individual personal needs. Edward understood that to make a successful relationship between caregiver and client, skills were not enough, personality and compatibility plays as much a role as do skills.

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